Juan Diego López Jiménez, a city inspector is seen holding the child's basket, as the child is forced to throw his candy on the ground.
Juan Diego López Jiménez, Carmen Torres Díaz and Feliciano Díaz Díaz
By H. Nelson Goodson
July 26, 2013
Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico - On Thursday, city inspector Juan Diego López Jiménez was removed from his post a day after a news video showed him humiliating a child vendor, identified as Feliciano "Manuelito" Díaz Díaz, 10, and forcing him to throw his candy on the ground as he cried. Jiménez is now accused of stealing three packages of cigarettes from the child's basket and has been remove permanently from his job. Legal proceedings have been initiated against Jiménez and another woman, a city worker identified as Carmen Torres Díaz, according to Faustino Adolfo Torres Álvarez, the director of promoting Economic and Tourism in the municipality.
Several other vendors within a four block area near the municipality building where Jiménez had worked have made public statements to state authorities that Jiménez and other city inspectors have been extorting between $50 to $100 pesos ($5 to $10 dollars) daily from 50 area vendors. The vendors also have alleged that the city inspector coordinator, Eduardo Miguel Osorio López has allowed the extortions to take place, according an initial investigation by the Tabasco State Justice Department.
On Wednesday, a Youtube video posted by Channel TVX 16 shows Jiménez, a city inspector from the Municipality of Centro de la Zona Luz in Villahermosa forcing a child to throw his candy to the ground because Jiménez was going to confiscate his basket. A TVX news reporter caught the action in public.
The child was caught selling his candy in front of a bank and then was taken by Jiménez to the municipality building grounds where the child was forced to throw his candy away. Municipality officials says, that the child is a minor and shouldn't be selling candy in public. The Tabasco state government officials initiated an investigation to what some public officials are saying, is an abuse of authority by Jiménez, who is seen in the video.
The child is heard crying while Jiménez is laughing as a woman, identified as Carmen Torres Díaz another city worker looks on. Afterwards Jiménez left the basket and walks away with three packages of cigarettes when onlookers told the Jiménez "it's enough" and to leave the child alone.
Another unidentified man looking at what was going on decides to help the child pick up his candy, as the child is humiliated and continues to cry in the scene.
News anchor reporters alleged that Jiménez might have wanted a $40.00 dollars ($500 pesos) bribe from the child who is trying to earn an honest wage instead of engaging in criminal activities as some children are forced to do so.
Jiménez as he leaves the scene, shows no shame of what he did, according to reporters.
Both Jiménez and Díaz are facing charges for theft and abuse of authority.
On Friday, Arturo Nuñez, the Governor of Tabasco in a statement said, the state will give the child and his family "a scholarship, as well as all medical and psychological help for the boy."
The child has gone back to his Tzotzil Indian village in Chamula, Chiapas for fear of retribution by Villahermosa city officials, according to his aunt María Díaz Díaz. She brought the child to Villahermosa about a week ago after the child wanted to work for the summer to earn enough money to buy school supplies. He lives with his grandparents in Chiapas, according to his aunt.
Both Jiménez and Díaz are facing charges for theft and abuse of authority.
On Friday, Arturo Nuñez, the Governor of Tabasco in a statement said, the state will give the child and his family "a scholarship, as well as all medical and psychological help for the boy."
The child has gone back to his Tzotzil Indian village in Chamula, Chiapas for fear of retribution by Villahermosa city officials, according to his aunt María Díaz Díaz. She brought the child to Villahermosa about a week ago after the child wanted to work for the summer to earn enough money to buy school supplies. He lives with his grandparents in Chiapas, according to his aunt.
TVX news video at link: http://youtu.be/EBadmTd4nHg
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